Mountain Music Fills the Air: Banjos and Dulcimers: The Foxfire Americana Libray - Eliot Wigginton, Foxfire Students (2011)

THE PEG HEAD

As this is to be a four-string dulcimer, we will select a piece of black walnut 8″ long×1½″ wide×2½″ thick. The shape of the peg head is traced on the side, and the shape of the peg box is traced on the top. The peg box is 5/8″ wide and about 7/8″ deep, and long enough to accommodate four tuning pegs (ILLUSTRATION 83). To make a five- or six-string dulcimer, just make the peg head and peg box a little longer to get the extra pegs in there. I drill part of the peg box with a 5/8″ drill, then finish cutting to shape with a chisel. Once the peg box is finished, saw slots in the end to receive the sides and cut the notch for top and fret board (ILLUSTRATION 84, ILLUSTRATION 85). Cut the peg head to shape last, so you will have straight and square surfaces to cut notches and slots accurately (see diagram on this page).